Where to dive in October?

[robstrash]

My wife and I got certified last September in the cold water of Northern CA. We much prefer the warm water dives we enjoyed in Mexico and the Caribbean (and when we go to Maui in September).

I've promised friends in Jacksonville that we would come and visit this year. We are thinking of going out to see them in mid-October. We would like to get some warm water diving done while we are out there (our friends do not dive). We're thinking of staying about 1 week in FL and maybe do 3 days in FLL and then 4-5 days diving.

I know everyone will have their own opinions, but trying to figure out where the best diving will be in mid-October. It looks like there are nicer places than Jacksonville. We could rent a car and drive somewhere or we could fly (can take Southwest from JAX to FLL or Tampa). I doubt we'd want to drive more than 3 hours each way.

I see that Key Largo is supposed to be nice and according to Yahoo maps is only 2 hour drive from MIA/FLL. Do you think it's worth the extra cost ($125-$200 each airfare) and hotel to leave Jacksonville for Key Largo? Is Tampa diving better or worse than Key Largo? How warm is the water this time of year? Will our 3mm suits suffice?

Thanks for your opinions and help in advance!

Edit Wife just said maybe we can go week of Thanksgiving since already have 2 days off. How is the water at the end of November? Would we be fine with 3mm suits in FLL? How about Key Largo/Key West?

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Stick to the east coast for diving. Its much prettier over here. If you go to Ft. Lauderdale for a few days, Key Largo is only an hour and a half drive. However there is excellent boat and beach diving in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Water will still be pretty warm, and the hurricance season will be winding down.

 

[robstrash]

Stick to the east coast for diving. Its much prettier over here. If you go to Ft. Lauderdale for a few days, Key Largo is only an hour and a half drive. However there is excellent boat and beach diving in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Water will still be pretty warm, and the hurricance season will be winding down.

Wife suggested maybe going Thanksgiving week. Would water still be warm enough for 3mm suit in FLL at this time? How about Key Largo/Key West?

The airfare to Key West is somewhat pricey to add on, but only about $125 more than to MIA/FLL per person. However, hotels are pricier in the Keys from my quick glance.

 

[MikeJacobs]

I've promised friends in Jacksonville that we would come and visit this year... SNIP... We are thinking of going out to see them in mid-October. Do you think it's worth the extra cost ($125-$200 each airfare) and hotel to leave Jacksonville for Key Largo?

lol you will probably find that we all pretty much agree that if it's basic open water "most bang for the buck" diving you want, then FLL/Key Largo is "The Zone" you want. We'd also agreet that the price is right.

FLL and adjacent areas have a good reef system right off shore - Lauderdale by the Sea, Dania and Hollywood, as well as some great stuff an hour or slightly more north. Many of us dive it DAILY without getting bored well into winter - how can you get bored of turtles, morays, reef squid, nurse shark and all those fish?! Also, it's only 17' max depth so I have no issues flying the next day (YMMV of course). Bring a camera. FOR INFO you can view past threads or just ask more questions - where to stay, how to find local dive buddies, etc...

FLL has an excellent armada of dive boat operators to get off shore, and they'll get you to a "wreck & a reef" 2-tank trip in the AM or PM for about $45. Sometimes I do both. You could see a different wreck and reef every day for weeks. FOR MORE INFO I suggest Lighthouse Dive Center (954) 788-0208 because they're a well-established "broker" of sorts in touch with most of the operators around. They'll place you with the operator with the fewest divers. http://www.lighthousedive.com/

Key Largo is worth the trip for sure. Just plan your commute so you miss our traffic, however. I've started taking both the AM and PM boats (again about $45 each) for four dives a day when I make the 2-hour trek by car from Lauderdale by the Sea. The wrecks are better and the reefs beyond comparison. FOR MORE INFORMATION Everybody has their favorites, but we've done a number of trips now with Island Ventures 1-866-293-5006. http://www.islandventure.com/contact.htm

Jax, Tampa and the West Coast in general require a bit more "friction" getting to dives - no real shore diving (Venice for fossilized shark's teeth) and the boats have to go quite a way out for the artificial reefs. We do have a number of cave divers online so if you're into that it'll be a lot closer than FLL to Jax... just inland, in fact.

After you've arranged your "dive plan" if you post individual threads about the days/places/times in the "PRIVATE" section of this Forum, you'll be almost certain to get local dive buddys.

October water is pretty warm, still, and most of us dive in skins only (about $35-$50). I'm one of those hearty heaters, so then I'll be diving the coldest water we have without a wet suit. 3MM will be a bit much, unless you tend to get cold.

I hope that covers it... continue to ask questions and we'll do what we can to help you out.

 

[MikeJacobs]

Key West is quite a way down there, and there's diving but most is in Key Largo. You'll need a car regardless. Most would agree to stay in FLL where you can shore dive when you aren't on a boat or in the Keys.

Water temp should still be 85+ for you in October/November.

Wife suggested maybe going Thanksgiving week. Would water still be warm enough for 3mm suit in FLL at this time? How about Key Largo/Key West?

The airfare to Key West is somewhat pricey to add on, but only about $125 more than to MIA/FLL per person. However, hotels are pricier in the Keys from my quick glance.

 

[robstrash]

3MM will be a bit much, unless you tend to get cold.

Now that is what I am looking for. We froze our butt's off last weekend in Monterey and wore full 7mm suits/hoods/gloves/boots. Water was 54 (yes, Fahrenheit).

I much prefer the warm water :07:

Wife and I are looking at plans now. Might fly out to JAX on Friday, Nov 19 and then on to MIA (cause we're on American) on Monday. Do some FLL diving Tues+Wed. Not sure if places will be open on Thanksgiving or not. Maybe drive down to Key Largo on Thanksgiving and spend night in hotel there Thu and do AM and PM dives on Friday, then drive back up to MIA and leave Saturday. Latest flight I can find is 1:30 PM so not sure if we should do the Key Largo PM dives since won't be 24 hours before flying.

I got a pretty good corporate rate of $99 at one of the Ft. Lauderdale Embassy Suites and sure I can find something for Key Largo and then Friday in MIA.

You guys are getting us excited! Thanks for the help :10:

 

[Wendy]

Do you plan to bring your own hear? If so you can always drive the 2 hours from jacksonville to Ginnie springs and do the fresh water gear rinse dive.

 

[CBulla]

Personally, the best diving in the Union is here in FL. I would say that no matter where you dive its good diving. The Ft Lauderdale through Keys area has all the reefs and fish tank look. There are some nifty wrecks, and easy to do shallow water dives. The west coast of FL has some fossil hunting and off shore we have structure and pelagics that its just really cool to see, but you mostly have to grab a boat out to it since the gulf is pretty shallow a long way out.

During the month of October you'd be hard pressed to find water that is cold around FL, the exception being springs diving that clocks in at about 72 degrees year round. I'd give a west coast average temp in the mid to upper 80's, a little cooler offshore once you get down into the water column some. East coast is about the same.

 

[MAGELLAN]

We went to Key largo Thanksgiving week last year. It was great. Used Silent World, and stayed at the Hungry pelican motel, small but quaint. Silent world, is easy on the wallet, and they had a professional operation. In November, you'll need some protection, but it's not really cold. I wore a 1mm suit with a 3mm shorty on top, just because that's what I had, and it was enough. You can do a search for a weather buoy that's at Molasses reef, you'll find all kind of info there even historical temps etc. the weather can be a little fickle though, and we had a little too much surge for my taste. The dives are all fairly shallow 25-45 feet I think that contributes to the surge some. I've been told summer is the best time to go. Have fun!

http://www.pennekamp.com/sw/

 

[robstrash]

Now if we could only find airfare for a better price. The SJC-JAX-MIA-SJC route is pricing out at $680 per person now. Even looked at SJC-FLL and then using Southwest (even though their schedule is not up for that time yet) but it still works out to about $700 per person. :11:

So, who knows what we are doing now since we can get airfare to Hawaii for about $350 per person that time of year.

Just waiting for an air sale, but not likely with high fuel prices, low profit margins, and the fact that it's Thanksgiving week.